APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 107 



EULES FOE THE EXAMINATION OF SPECIMENS SUBMITTED 

 TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



1. Qualitative esaminatious — that is, for determiuing the coustituente 

 of the specimens — are made without charge. 



2. Quantitative examiuatious, or the determination of the, percentage of 

 the different components of the specimens, can only be made at the 

 expense of the applicant; the charge to be in proportion to the time 

 expended in the work, e. (/., from $5 to $50, according to whether it is 

 partial (determination of silver, lead, or iron, &c., only) or full (deter- 

 mination of everything). 



3. The report of quantitative examinations will be given under the 

 name of the expert to whom the specimens shall be submitted, and not 

 under that of the Smithsonian Institution. 



4. All apiilications for the determination of specimens must be made 

 by letter, addressed " Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution." 



5. The specimens examined, or a part of them, will be retained by the 

 Institution. 



6. All specimens to be delivered to the Institution free of expense. 



Spencer, F. Baird, 

 Secretary Smithsonian Institution, 



EEPOET OF FEED. W. TAYLOE, 



Chemist of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The present chemist entered upon his duties the latter part of Janu- 

 ary, 1880, taking charge of the laboratory and mineralogical department 

 during the absence of Dr. Endlich, and has continued to perform the 

 duties of his office since that time. The laboratory was found to be in 

 comparatively good order, though the stock of apparatus and chemicals 

 was extremely limited. By slow additions the stock of both has been 

 largely increased, until now the laboratory may be said to be compara- 

 tively well supplied for all branches of inorganic work. As yet no pro- 

 vision has been made for organic work, and no such work has been 

 attempted, as, in addition to the lack of apparatus, the arrangement 

 and fitting of the laboratory render such work almost impossible. As 

 stated in the last annual report, the Avork of the laboratory consists 

 in the determination of various minerals sent in to the Institution 

 for identification, and in the investigation of such questions as may be 

 referred to it by the departments. No other work is attempted by the 

 Institution, though the chemist is kindly permitted to undertake other 

 work on his own account. Since February 1, 1880, the chemist has made 



